Betts sustains minor injury; Red Sox near East title

BOSTON—Red Sox right fielder Mookie Betts left the game after hurting his left side making a throw to home plate during a 4-3 win over the New York Mets on Sunday that cut Boston’s magic number to two for a third straight AL East title.

Boston can clinch the division at Yankee Stadium for the second time in three seasons, needing only one win during a three-game series that opens Tuesday afternoon.

Betts said the injury is minor and he will be in the lineup Tuesday. He is hitting .337 with 29 homers and 72 RBIs.

Andrew Benintendi hit a tiebreaking sacrifice fly in the eighth inning off Seth Lugo (3-4) after a matchup of Boston’s Chris Sale and New York’s Jacob deGrom, both Cy Young Award candidates. Brandon Workman (5-0) pitched a scoreless eighth, and Steven Wright got three outs for his first big league save.

BLUE JAYS 3, YANKEES 2

NEW YORK—Dellin Betances wasted a 2-1 eighth-inning lead, allowing hits to four of his first five batters. Pinch-hitter Rowdy Tellez had a tying single and Randal Grichuk a go-ahead double.

Betances (4-6) has lost in two of his past three appearances.

The Yankees maintained a 1½-game lead over Oakland for the top AL wild card. Manager Aaron Boone said All-Star slugger Aaron Judge could return to the lineup against Boston.

Andrew McCutchen hit his fourth homer with the Yankees on the second pitch from Thomas Pannone (3-1). Toronto closer Ken Giles struck out Gary Sanchez with a runner on to end his second save in two days.

RAYS 5, ATHLETICS 4

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla.—Khris Davis hit a grand slam in the ninth off Sergio Romo, his major league-leading 43rd homer.

Tampa Bay trails Oakland by seven games with 14 games left.

C.J. Cron and Willy Adames homered off Mike Fiers (12-7). Andrew Kittredge (3-2) and seven relievers combined on a four-hitter, and Romo got two outs for his 21st save.

NATIONALS 6, BRAVES 4

ATLANTA—Bryce Harper and Anthony Rendon hit two-run homers off Sean Newcomb (12-9) and 19-year-old rookie Juan Soto added an RBI single.

Atlanta maintained a 6½-game lead in the NL East over second-place Philadelphia.

Tanner Roark (9-15) allowed two runs and five hits in 5 1/3 innings, and Sean Doolittle pitched a perfect ninth for his 24th save.

MARLINS 6, PHILLIES 4

PHILADELPHIA—Peter O’Brien homered and drove in three runs as Miami ended a five-game losing streak. O’Brien put the Marlins ahead with a two-run homer in the fourth and Bryan Holaday added a pair of doubles.

Nick Pivetta (7-13), who has won only one of his last 11 starts, struck out seven in the first three innings.

Jose Urena (7-12) allowed one run and three hits through a five-inning stint for his third straight win. He left early because of cramping in his pitching hand.

REDS 2, CUBS 1

CHICAGO—The Cubs’ NL Central lead remained at 2½ games over second-place Milwaukee when Scott Schebler homered on the first pitch of the game from Jose Quintana (13-10) and Phillip Ervin also went deep.

Joey Votto had three hits for lastplace Cincinnati.

Luis Castillo (10-12) allowed one run, four hits and four walks in 6 2/3 innings, giving up Albert Almora Jr.’s sacrifice fly in the fifth. Amir Garrett and Jared Hughes combined for four outs and Raisel Iglesias pitched the ninth for his 27th save, completing a five-hitter.

PIRATES 3, BREWERS 2

MILWAUKEE—Jesus Aguilar and Domingo Santana homered on consecutive pitches from Felipe Vazquez to begin the ninth, but Milwaukee fell short. The Brewers lead the NL wild-card race by 2½ games.

Trevor Williams (13-9) allowed two hits in six scoreless innings. Vazquez got his 24th consecutive save and 34th overall this season when Ryan Braun struck out, Mike Moustakas popped out weakly and Erik Kratz grounded out.

Jhoulys Chacin (14-8) gave up two runs and three hits in five innings.

ROCKIES 3, GIANTS 2

SAN FRANCISCO—Antonio Senzatela pitched shutout ball into the sixth inning and also hit a tworun single as Colorado held its playoff position.

The Rockies, blanked the previous two days, avoided a threegame sweep. Colorado began the day with a half-game lead over St. Louis for the second NL wild-card spot and a half-game behind Los Angeles in the NL West — the Dodgers played later at St. Louis.

Senzatela (5-6) left in the sixth and Wade Davis got his NL-leading 40th save. The Rockies scored three times in the second against Dereck Rodriguez (6-4).

ANGELS 4, MARINERS 3

ANAHEIM, Calif.—Kole Calhoun hit a tiebreaking home run and Justin Upton connected in his third straight game as Los Angeles averted a four-game sweep.

Angels star Shohei Ohtani appeared to be limping as he jogged off the field in the eighth inning after he slid awkwardly into second base and was caught stealing.

Calhoun’s solo homer in the seventh off reliever Nick Vincent (3-4) snapped his 0-for-25 skid.

Taylor Cole (2-2) got the win and Ty Buttrey struck out the side in the ninth for his third save.